As the year draws to a close, the cherished traditions that families hold dear come to mind. Whether it's traveling by car, plane, or train to be with loved ones near or far, or adorning the house and Christmas tree in anticipation of holiday festivities, this time of year is filled with special moments. Reflecting on my own childhood, one standout tradition was the annual family gatherings at my paternal grandparents' home. All eleven of their children, along with their families, would converge to savor the grand dinner meticulously prepared by my grandmother. Amidst laughter and joy, the grandchildren would engage in spirited games with our grandfather in the family room, dodging his attempts to catch us. Yet, the highlight was undoubtedly the secret mission to raid the large red buckets of homemade cookies that my grandmother had hidden strategically throughout her home. Amidst play, we'd sneak away one by one, indulging in the array of treats—peanut butter, chocolate ...
Have you ever seen a street, road or highway under construction, and there appeared to be nothing in need of repair? Well, as I left out of the front door of my home, for my routine walk through the neighborhood, I was surprised to see trucks and construction workers working on my street. I was baffled over the sudden need of repairs, and the scene of the workers removing asphalt from my street. From what my natural eye could see, nothing appeared to be wrong with the street. There were no existing cracks, potholes, or problem areas. As I stared in shock over the machines being used to remove gravel, I noticed that only portions of the street were being repaired. The designated areas for repair had rectangular patches on the road where asphalt was being removed, recycled, and repaved. After the shock set in over what was happening to my street, I decided to seek answers for why all of the sudden construction. A worker informed me that the Department o...